BY ANDREW MORRISON
PORTADOWN College ended a 29 year wait to lift the Belfast Telegraph Girls Senior Cup as they defeated defending champions Royal School Armagh in a penalty shootout.
Joni Cunningham had originally given Armagh the lead before an Evie Thompson deflection forced the sides to run-ins.
It was the reigning champions who got off to a quick start, winning the game’s first penalty corner with just four minutes on the clock, however, Grace McCool sent her effort wide of the target.
Just moments later it was Portadown who went close to opening the scoring. Lucy Megaw broke down the left wing before picking out team mate Emily Adamson at the back post, but her effort could only find the side netting.
From there, the sides looked inseparable, heading into the first stoppage goalless with defences firmly in control of the tie.
That was until last season’s beaten finalists won their first corner of the game, but again Adamson was unable to find the target as her effort was blocked before Armagh cleared the danger.
Goalless at half time, it took just four minutes of the second half for the deadlock to finally be broken.
Again, Armagh were awarded a penalty corner before a slipped ball found Joni Cunningham and she fired across goal to give her side the lead after 34 minutes.
The opening goal didn’t seem to break Portadown spirits as they continued to push forward in search of an equaliser with Adamson going close once more.
Finding space in the left hand side of the circle, the forward fired a reverse strike across the goalmouth before seeing her effort go agonizingly wide of the far post.
Right on the whistle for the end of quarter three, Portadown were awarded another penalty corner, giving them one last chance to equalise ahead of the final 15 minutes.
It was from there that the side got their leveller as Evie Thompson deflected in from captain Rebekah Lennon’s strike and sent the sides into the final break level.
In the final period it was Royal School Armagh who looked most likely to snatch a winning goal, first Katie Herron saw her close range strike saved by Makayla Stevenson before they were awarded a penalty stroke with just two minutes remaining.
It was goal scorer Joni Cunningham who stepped forward to take but the young defender unfortunately saw her effort go wide of the post with the sides destined for a shootout.
With the run-ins set to get underway there was a late change for the eventual champions, opting for a change of goalkeeper, Jessica Finch entering the field of play to replace Makayla Stevenson.
The risky decision was one which proved to pay dividends with Finch proving unbeatable in the shootout, stopping each one which she faced and helping her side to a 2-0 victory.
